NBA History: 5 Greatest rookie seasons since 2000

Every year, the NBA welcomes a class of new players. The NBA holds a draft, where a particular team drafts young prospects. Once the player is selected, they start the next chapter in their journey which is the rookie season.

Throughout the years, some of the NBA's greatest players entered the league through their respective drafts. For example, Michael Jordan was the third pick of the 1984 draft. Jordan went on to win Rookie of the Year in the 1984-85 season and went on to become one of the NBA's greatest players. Jordan's journey started with his incredible rookie season.

There are several players before and after Jordan that had great rookie seasons and careers. Oscar Robertson nearly averaged a triple-double in his rookie career with 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists.

Wilt Chamberlain won MVP and Rookie of the Year simultaneously as he averaged 37.6 points and 27 rebounds. Another example is Magic Johnson. Despite not winning Rookie of the Year (the award went to Larry Bird), Johnson became the first rookie to win Finals MVP. All of these players and more had great rookie seasons, which led to excellent careers.

Since then, the NBA has had other groups of talent to enter the league. Players like Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, and Tim Duncan had excellent rookie seasons. These players were drafted throughout the 90s and reached the prime of their careers around the early 2000s.

While these players were established veterans, younger players began to enter the league. Lottery teams drafted these players, and they instantly made an impact on their respective teams. One of the biggest stars in today's game was selected by his hometown team and started an illustrious career in 2003. However, there have been other players who have had great rookie seasons and contributed to their teams. Here are five of the greatest rookie seasons since the year 2000.

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#5 Tyreke Evans

Tyreke Evans won Rookie of the Year in 2010

Admittedly, this spot was a tough choice. This spot could have gone to any player that had a tremendous rookie season and went on to a solid career. This could have gone to players (and Rookie of the Year winners) such as Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, and Kyrie Irving, but went to someone else. It went to a player who is currently suspended from the NBA.

While he is suspended from the NBA and has not had a season like his rookie one, we cannot deny his efforts during his first bow in the league. So, this spot goes to Tyreke Evans.

Evans was the fourth pick of the 2009 NBA draft. The Sacramento Kings drafted the guard/forward, and he instantly contributed.

In his rookie season, Evans averaged 20.1 points, 5.8 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals Evans won multiple Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards that season and won Rookie/Sophomore Game MVP. He had 26 points, six rebounds, five assists, and five steals in that game, as he shared the award with DeJuan Blair. Blair had 22 points and 23 rebounds, and Evans decided to share the award with him.

At the end of the season, Evans became the fourth player in history to average 20-5-5 in his rookie season. This means he averaged at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He joined the ranks of Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James with this accomplishment.

Evans played well in his rookie season and became 2010 Rookie of the Year. He also was named to NBA All-Rookie First Team. He played well and looked like a player with a bright future.

Evans has not played like this since his rookie season. While he has had moments, it was not up to par with his 2009-10 season. Evans may not be a future Hall-of-Famer like some of the players mentioned, but his rookie season was something special.

#4 Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic is the most recent Rookie of the Year

Luka Doncic is an up and coming star. The young player made a name for himself after an impressive rookie season. Now, Doncic is the most recent Rookie of the Year recipient.

Last summer, Doncic was the third pick of the 2018 NBA draft. The Atlanta Hawks drafted him, but they traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in a draft-day trade. The Mavericks received Doncic, and the Hawks got Trae Young in return. Both players had great rookie seasons, but Doncic came out on top.

This season, Doncic averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and six assists. The 6-foot-8 guard/forward is a player that can do a bit of everything. He can score, he can facilitate, and has the ability to get rebounds.

He has attributes of different positions, such as a point guard and a small forward. His basketball IQ is exceptional and allows him to make plays on the floor, but he has the size and strength of a forward.

With this in mind, some people have compared him to another young guard/forward on this list, as well as other skilled players like Manu Ginobili. He has drawn comparisons to great players, and Doncic has big shoes to fill. But, he is off to a good start.

At the start of the season, Doncic was the favorite for Rookie of the Year. And he did not disappoint as he started the season. Early on, Doncic became the youngest 20-point scorer in Mavericks' history. In another game, he scored 34 points and became the youngest NBA player to make seven three-pointers in a game. He continued the season with impressive games and a few triple-doubles.

In January, he recorded his first triple-double of his career. He had 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. This led to him becoming the second-youngest player in history to record a triple-double.

He also recorded a 35-point triple-double in the same month. He became the first teen to have a 30-point triple-double as well as the youngest player to have three triple-doubles later on in the season. He surpassed Magic Johnson by 117 days. Doncic finished the season with five triple-doubles and became the fifth player to average 20-5-5.

Doncic is a great young player with lots of potential. He has the charisma and skill to become a star in this league. If he keeps having seasons like his rookie season, he'll be a force in the NBA.

#3 Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons won Rookie of the Year in 2018

Ben Simmons is one of the NBA's brightest young stars. He came into the league as a 6-foot-10 player with the abilities of a point guard. He is one of the Sixers' core players and has been critical in their success.

Simmons was the first pick of the 2016 NBA draft. The guard/forward from Lousiana State University (LSU) caught the attention of the NBA and some of its best players (such as LeBron James). While the Philadelphia Sixers drafted him in 2016, he did not play until the 2017-18 season.

During a training camp scrimmage, Simmons injured his right ankle. An X-Ray and MRI revealed that he suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot.

He was initially ruled out for four months, but the Sixers ruled him out for the season after his foot failed to heal correctly. Simmons (and the Sixers) had to wait a year before he made his regular-season debut. But it was worth it.

In the 2017-18 season, Simmons averaged 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals. He nearly averaged a triple-double, as he had several throughout the season.

In his fourth game of the season, Simmons tallied his first career triple-double. He finished the game with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.

He became the third rookie to record a triple-double in his first four games. The other two were Oscar Robertson and Art Williams.

His first 10 games were impressive, as he became the only player in history to begin a season with at least 170 points, 100 rebounds and 80 assists. This is a remarkable accomplishment, and he continued to impress throughout the season.

Later in the season, Simmons became the third rookie in history to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists. He joined legendary guards Oscar Robertson (again) and Magic Johnson.

Simmons won Rookie of the Year, after beating out 2017 draftee Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell had an impressive season as well and was Simmons' biggest competition. But Simmons managed to win the award as he accomplished great things.

Ben Simmons is a great player with a bright future. If he continues to progress, he will accomplish much more.

#2 Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin won Rookie of the Year in 2011

Like Simmons, fans had to wait a year before they could see Blake Griffin in action.

In 2009, Griffin was the first pick of the 2009 NBA draft. The Los Angeles Clippers selected the athletic forward from Oklahoma, and he played for their Summer League team. Then, Griffin suffered a setback.

In the preseason, Griffin injured his knee after dunking and landing improperly. It was revealed that he had a stress fracture in his left knee and eventually had to undergo a procedure on his kneecap. He missed the 2009-10 season as Tyreke Evans won Rookie of the Year. Then, Griffin returned with a vengeance.

In the 2010-11 season, Griffin was a highlight reel. His athletic dunks and plays left the league in awe. This lead to him participating in and winning the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend. On top of his Dunk Contest win, he accomplished other things. He also set records in consecutive double-doubles.

During his rookie season, Griffin averaged 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds (a career-high). He became the first rookie since Elton Brand to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Griffin was a double-double machine and set a Clippers franchise record for most consecutive double-doubles.

He set the record after getting 23 straight double-doubles. Griffin set a record by having 27-consecutive double-doubles. This was the longest streak since 1968. This streak was an impressive accomplishment that not many have done since then.

Griffin played all 82 games in his rookie season. This was significant considering he missed the previous season. Griffin stayed healthy and played well throughout the campaign.

The Clippers rookie had an excellent season and became the 2011 Rookie of the Year. He was the first unanimous winner since former San Antonio Spurs great David Robison did it in 1990.

Griffin's rookie season was awe-inspiring. He accomplished so much that Sports Illustrated listed him as one of the league's greatest rookies of all-time. While Griffin is still a productive player, his rookie season was indeed something special.

#1 LeBron James

LeBron James won Rookie of the Year in 2004.

Until now, no rookie has come in with hype like the 2004 Rookie of the Year. LeBron James started his career as a high-school phenom from Akron, Ohio.

James attended St. Vincent–St. Mary, where he gained national attention. It was no surprise when he became the first pick of the 2003 draft. It was also no surprise when his hometown team drafted him.

In 2003, the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted James as the first pick overall. The Cavs needed a player such as James to turn their franchise around. Eventually, he did just that.

In his rookie season, James had an impressive run. He averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. He became the third rookie in history to average 20-5-5 and the youngest player to score 40 points in a game. He scored 40 points in a game against the New Jersey Nets.

He also shot nearly 42 percent from the field and 29 percent from deep (a stat he eventually increased). James' rookie season gave him a chance to silence some of his critics and show what he was capable of. His season led to him winning Rookie of the Year.

James was a part of a special draft class. His draftmates include (recently retired) Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and former Miami Heat teammate, Chris Bosh.

While Anthony was his closest competition for Rookie of the Year, Wade had an impressive season as well. He, along with James and Anthony, put the league on notice.

James and the Cavaliers missed the playoffs that year, but he proved that he was a gifted player.

His rookie season set up an illustrious career that includes multiple MVPs, championships, and several other accolades. King James came in with a lot of hype and did not disappoint. Now, he is a world-renowned star and one of the greatest players in NBA history.